I love spicy stuff!!! That is probably why I am sitting here eating spicy sweet chili Doritos posting this blog. YES they are Vegan! So are Oreos by the way!!! (thank you Jesus) Sorry, lost on a junk food tirade! ANYWAY, I love spicy food and one of my favorites is Harissa... so I brought North Africa to Greece where alllll of the Hummus is Yummus!
Harissa Yummus
First let's make some Harissa! You can keep this in the fridge for up to 3 weeks! use it on Burgers, over Tofu steaks or stir into Veganaise! Whoa! the possibilities are endless!
10-12 Small Dried chilies-for this I recommend a blend of New Mexico chilies and guajillo with a few Ancho thrown in for variety.(You can use anything you want)
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp toasted and ground Coriander seeds
1 tbsp toasted and ground Caraway seeds
1/2 tbsp toasted and ground Cumin seeds
soak dried chilies in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain the water and set aside until you need them.
Toast the Caraway, coriander and cumin seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant stirring frequently to keep them from burning. Crush finely in mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
In a food processor, grind down,the garlic, ground spices and salt, when you have a fine powder add in the rest of the ingredients until you have a smooth paste. You may want to add a little water a tbsp at a time until you get the consistency you like.
This will make 1 1/4 cup
alright, now for the FUN!
1 cup canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 cup canned black beans
1/2 cup tahini
juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tsps of Harissa
Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve cold!
You can use this as a dip or spread this high protein Yummus on a sandwich or pita! You could almost LIVE on this stuff!! Believe me I am trying!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
Chili Weather is a comin!
I don't care that I live in Nashville and it is still 90 degrees out!!!!!! Do you? I didn't think so!
Here is my long awaited chili recipe. You are going to kick yourself it is soooo simple and NO there is NO chili powder in it!
1 jalapeño seeded, finely diced
1 medium sized Pablano pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 medium to large spanish onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 rehydrated Ancho chili, seeded and diced (rehydrate in boiling water for 30 mins)
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp chipotle in adobe sauce (see note)
2 cans (15 oz) Light Red Kidney Beans
2 cans (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans
4 cans (15 oz) Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained
3 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
salt to taste
cayenne if you like
-not opposed to honey...like me? 3/4 cup honey
- meat eater (NOT like me) add 1 lbs pre-browned GROUND SIRLOIN! Not ground chuck or beef, it is also okay to add pre-browned stew meat.
Here goes...
preheat oil in dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Add all of your vegetables and chilies and sauté until onions and celery are translucent. Add everything else. cook until the sauce is reduced and the consistency is Chilish!
There. Mystery solved? I told you it wasn't that amazing!
Got a Vegan in a meat eating house hold? split the mixture in half and put it into 2 pots, only add the meat and honey to one and leave the other pot the same or add veggie crumbles or even rehydrated TVP. I know, simple but I had to say it for those who don't "get it" yet!
Here is my long awaited chili recipe. You are going to kick yourself it is soooo simple and NO there is NO chili powder in it!
1 jalapeño seeded, finely diced
1 medium sized Pablano pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 medium to large spanish onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1 rehydrated Ancho chili, seeded and diced (rehydrate in boiling water for 30 mins)
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 tsp olive or vegetable oil
1 tsp chipotle in adobe sauce (see note)
2 cans (15 oz) Light Red Kidney Beans
2 cans (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans
4 cans (15 oz) Petite Diced Tomatoes, undrained
3 cans (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
salt to taste
cayenne if you like
-not opposed to honey...like me? 3/4 cup honey
- meat eater (NOT like me) add 1 lbs pre-browned GROUND SIRLOIN! Not ground chuck or beef, it is also okay to add pre-browned stew meat.
Here goes...
preheat oil in dutch oven or stock pot over medium high heat. Add all of your vegetables and chilies and sauté until onions and celery are translucent. Add everything else. cook until the sauce is reduced and the consistency is Chilish!
There. Mystery solved? I told you it wasn't that amazing!
Got a Vegan in a meat eating house hold? split the mixture in half and put it into 2 pots, only add the meat and honey to one and leave the other pot the same or add veggie crumbles or even rehydrated TVP. I know, simple but I had to say it for those who don't "get it" yet!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Nutritional Yeast is not lame!
There are so many things that can be enhanced by Nutritional Yeast that it is scary! If you aren't either a health food Nut or a Vegan. Vegans use this lovely inactive yeast as a way to add a cheesy flavor to foods and add vitamin B12 which can be a challenge to the most conscientious of us.
Red Star is my favorite but if you live in the Murfreesboro area... you CAN find it in our one horse town at Sunshine Nutritional Center! Here is a link to the store's website! http://www.livingnaturally.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=187018644C9149CD862BC76FAF90A535
Here is a quick one for you today!
Miss Parmesan cheese?
1/4 cup each of the following
Nutritional yeast, finely chopped walnuts
and a 1/4 tsp salt
put in a blender or food processor and viola!
Red Star is my favorite but if you live in the Murfreesboro area... you CAN find it in our one horse town at Sunshine Nutritional Center! Here is a link to the store's website! http://www.livingnaturally.com/retailer/store_templates/shell_id_1.asp?storeID=187018644C9149CD862BC76FAF90A535
Here is a quick one for you today!
Miss Parmesan cheese?
1/4 cup each of the following
Nutritional yeast, finely chopped walnuts
and a 1/4 tsp salt
put in a blender or food processor and viola!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Vital Wheat Gluten...Ribs!
What is vital wheat gluten???
Some of us know what gluten is... my mom always described it as the "sticky stuff" that holds your bread together. It is that but it is so much more! Gluten is latin for GLUE! So mom was right but did you know it also adds elasticity and assists in leavening?
My favorite product out there is Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten. You can use it to add protein to baked goods and even make Vegan "wheat meat" or Seitan from it. Are you a new Vegan and miss ribs? YES YOU CAN!!!
Vegan Seitan style Ribs!
1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 small caramelized onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons nut butter
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce
Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
canola oil
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray an square baking dish with oil.
In a medium sized bowl mix together Vital Wheat Gluten, Paprika, Caramelized onion and garlic together. In a separate bowl stir together the water, nut butter, Liquid Smoke, and soy sauce.
Add the nut butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Using your hands mix well and then knead lightly in the bowl for 5 minutes until a strong gluten forms. It should be well mixed and elasticized.
Put the dough into the baking dish, flatten it so that it evenly fills the pan. Take a sharp knife and cut it into strips; then turn the pan and cut those strips in half to form two rows. You can make the pieces as big or small as you like.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Get your grill ready in the mean time, make sure to brush the grates with vegetable oil so your Ribs don't stick!
You can freeze some now if you will not need it all right away other wise generously coat the top of your Ribs and place them coated side down on the grill, when you are done placing them on the grill brush the other side with sauce. When the first side is sufficiently brown, turn over and repeat on the other side. The cooking time will depend on your grill but on my charcoal grill not in the center of the fire it takes about 5 minutes each side to get a good grill mark on it and to get the nice and sweet.
Some of us know what gluten is... my mom always described it as the "sticky stuff" that holds your bread together. It is that but it is so much more! Gluten is latin for GLUE! So mom was right but did you know it also adds elasticity and assists in leavening?
My favorite product out there is Bob's Red Mill Vital Wheat Gluten. You can use it to add protein to baked goods and even make Vegan "wheat meat" or Seitan from it. Are you a new Vegan and miss ribs? YES YOU CAN!!!
Vegan Seitan style Ribs!
1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 small caramelized onion, finely minced
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons nut butter
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos or Soy Sauce
Your Favorite BBQ Sauce
canola oil
Preheat the oven to 350 and lightly spray an square baking dish with oil.
In a medium sized bowl mix together Vital Wheat Gluten, Paprika, Caramelized onion and garlic together. In a separate bowl stir together the water, nut butter, Liquid Smoke, and soy sauce.
Add the nut butter mixture to the dry ingredients. Using your hands mix well and then knead lightly in the bowl for 5 minutes until a strong gluten forms. It should be well mixed and elasticized.
Put the dough into the baking dish, flatten it so that it evenly fills the pan. Take a sharp knife and cut it into strips; then turn the pan and cut those strips in half to form two rows. You can make the pieces as big or small as you like.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes. Get your grill ready in the mean time, make sure to brush the grates with vegetable oil so your Ribs don't stick!
You can freeze some now if you will not need it all right away other wise generously coat the top of your Ribs and place them coated side down on the grill, when you are done placing them on the grill brush the other side with sauce. When the first side is sufficiently brown, turn over and repeat on the other side. The cooking time will depend on your grill but on my charcoal grill not in the center of the fire it takes about 5 minutes each side to get a good grill mark on it and to get the nice and sweet.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars
I decided that the granola bars that you buy in the store just weren't good enough for me anymore... I can do better! Turns out, I was right!
People ask where I get these recipies, so here it is in brief: I look up somewhere between 10 and 30 recipes and figure out what they have in common and then look at ways to cut the animal products out, I use my past recipies to figure out what works and what doesn't then finally... I try it. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. What I post on here I have tried them and they are ready for other people to make.
Hope you enjoy!
Chewy Granola Bars:
INGREDIENTS
1 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup chunky natural peanut butter
2 2/3 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup wheat germ
Totaling 2 cups- mini chocolate chips, bran cereal, sweetened coconut and flax seeds or any other fillers you like
METHOD
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix syrup and peanut butter until well blended. Stir in oats, flour, wheat germ, spices, and mix-ins. If mixture seems too dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time. If it is too sticky, add oats 1 teaspoon at a time. Mixture should be slightly sticky, but still easily spread in a pan.
Press into a 9x13x1 inch pan, push down with wax paper firmly, the tighter you pack it in the better your bar will be. It is important to get them as even as possible as well as getting out to the edges.
Precut or score bars to make life easier on yourself.
Bake until barely browned, check at 20 minutes and then again every 5 minutes until desired doneness.
While warm spread peanut butter on bars in a thin layer, and then cut bars through. Pre-scoring should make it easier on you.
Makes about 16 bars.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
People Read this!!
I know people are reading my blog because of the traffic on the side bar, but if you read my blog... please comment just so I can see who is looking in :) it makes me want to post more!
Monday, August 9, 2010
An Apple for Teacher
Our Teachers are great! My daughter's first day of 3rd grade was Friday so I decided to make some cinnamon cupcakes with cream cheese icing! As any cupcake would be at an elementary school would be... they were a big hit!
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